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Milwaukee's north lakefront suburbs are a lot like Chicago's North Shore, as you note on a smaller scale. One difference, I think, is that in Milwaukee, along this strip, the wealth begins in the city. The far north end of Milwaukee, from about UMW northward, feels and looks pretty much like the suburbs you listed. Contrast that with Chicago's North Shore which begins when you leave Rogers Park (Chgo) and enter Evanston. Rogers Park is a world away from the North Shore.

For sure. The Lower and Upper East Side are definitely nice. I was going to mention that but then specifically referred to suburbs only.

I just drove to Toledo from milwaukee and that portion through Chicago in the rain was painful .

As OP, I definitely agree with you here. I liked the input of other forumers, but I'm not sure I saw the same dynamics in operation in other areas as one would see on the North Shore and on the Main Line. Similarities, mind you (one had mentioned the Caltrain route that services cities on The Peninsula.....I also mentioned the same one....but those suburbs on The Peninsula don't form any solid region of wealth, although many of the towns are wealthy. Also, they don't describe a recognized entity....there is no word for Atherton/Hillsborough/Palo Alto, etc. as only terms like "The Peninsula" or "San Mateo Co." (of which they are part, but hardly whole) cover them

I think those are relatively minor quibbles. Overall, I think the San Francisco Peninsula is as close as it gets to the Main Line/North Shore despite some cities not having a super wealthy image. Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Atherton, San Carlos, Belmont, Burlingame, Hillsborough, etc are very wealthy places that form a linear string along commuter rail. Places like San Mateo and Redwood City have some less savory areas, but they also have sections of extraordinary wealth.

Boston's MetroWest. They string together in a huge collective bunch. Some pretty remarkable wealth in that belt. If it weren't for waltham/Framingham, it would be even more extensive East to West, North to South.

I haven't really found an equivalent in DC. It seems like the rich, old-money people mostly congregate in outlying northwestern neighborhoods of the city proper, e.g. Chevy Chase, Foxhall Crescent, Palisades.

I haven't really found an equivalent in DC. It seems like the rich, old-money people mostly congregate in outlying northwestern neighborhoods of the city proper, e.g. Chevy Chase, Foxhall Crescent, Palisades.

Right. Thereís Upper NW DC itself along with Chevy Chase and Bethesda, but North Bethesda and Rockville immediately to the north along the rail lines are a lot more middle class in character. Potomac is northwest along the river and Great Falls in Virginia is across the Potomac over in Virginia and like potomac, seems a lot more recent in development (from the Mid-20th Century to present) than the Main Line or North Shore. Thereís nothing compared to the Main Line here because suburban development came a lot later to DC comparatively speaking. Much of the NCA/DMV Area is more sunbeltish in its development.

I’m almost a 100% sure Miami/South Florida has at least one area like that, the area is such a linear metro it would make sense if their was a string of suburbs north to south between Miami and Fort Lauderdale or Fort Lauderdale and West Palm beach that was just wealth.

Houston kind of has an area like that South if I-ten and 69 that includes starting from the TMC, West University, Southside Place, Bellaire, Uptown(Houston neighborhood), The Villages and Memorial Area (Houston neighborhood). It isn’t exactly a straight line but it’s continuous wealth all the way out to the Energy Corridor area and contains the two wealthiest suburban areas in Houston, The Villages and West University/Bellaire area.

Iím almost a 100% sure Miami/South Florida has at least one area like that, the area is such a linear metro it would make sense if their was a string of suburbs north to south between Miami and Fort Lauderdale or Fort Lauderdale and West Palm beach that was just wealth.

Houston kind of has an area like that South if I-ten and 69 that includes starting from the TMC, West University, Southside Place, Bellaire, Uptown(Houston neighborhood), The Villages and Memorial Area (Houston neighborhood). It isnít exactly a straight line but itís continuous wealth all the way out to the Energy Corridor area and contains the two wealthiest suburban areas in Houston, The Villages and West University/Bellaire area.

The Katy Freeway is noted as the only commute in Houston that doesn't involve transversing declining neighborhoods. It's all affluent from Katy to Downtown Houston.

For sure. The Lower and Upper East Side are definitely nice. I was going to mention that but then specifically referred to suburbs only.

I just drove to Toledo from milwaukee and that portion through Chicago in the rain was painful .

If I'm getting your locations right (and I think I am), the Lower East Side is far more urban in nature than the Upper (which tends to be more suburban).......right? So in Chicago, what would be comparable would be this: the North Side lakefront (corresponding to your East Side lakefront) is an area of wealth that runs up from the downtown area, definitely through Lakeview, but north of that, it sort of peters out and the far North Side lakefront (Uptown, Edgewater, Rogers Park) is less desirable. In Milwaukee, my impression is that going north on the lakefront from downtown and into the lakefront suburbs is more solidly "nice" than what we have in Chicago....in the sense that I really don't see the gap in Milwaukee we have in Chicago.

If this makes any sense.

That rain you mentioned? They moved the animals in Lincoln Park Zoo a 1/2 mile to the east on an ark in Lake Michigan. Those were some incredibly wet days.

Iím almost a 100% sure Miami/South Florida has at least one area like that, the area is such a linear metro it would make sense if their was a string of suburbs north to south between Miami and Fort Lauderdale or Fort Lauderdale and West Palm beach that was just wealth.

Houston kind of has an area like that South if I-ten and 69 that includes starting from the TMC, West University, Southside Place, Bellaire, Uptown(Houston neighborhood), The Villages and Memorial Area (Houston neighborhood). It isnít exactly a straight line but itís continuous wealth all the way out to the Energy Corridor area and contains the two wealthiest suburban areas in Houston, The Villages and West University/Bellaire area.

as OP, I can't believe I missed the Florida gold coast.

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